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Match Reports

Report: FC Halifax Town 0-2 Tranmere Rovers

21 April 2018

Match Reports

Report: FC Halifax Town 0-2 Tranmere Rovers

21 April 2018

Three more points for Micky Mellon's men

Tranmere Rovers secured another three points on the road with a 2-0 win away against FC Halifax Town.

It was the strike duo of Andy Cook and James Norwood who netted the goals once more for Micky Mellon's side, Cook's 27th and Norwood's 21st of the season.

The manager named an unchanged side from the one which beat Dover Athletic which the only change happening on the substitutes bench with Manny Monthe taking the place of Eddie Clarke.

It was a bright start and took only six minutes for Rovers to break the deadlock with the opening goal.

A good move led to Andy Cook getting the ball on the edge of the penalty area, he drove to right and then fired a powerful shot across goal which goalkeeper Sam Johnson got his hand to but couldn't keep out as Rovers took an early lead.

Tranmere created further chances to increase that advantage when Larnell Cole and Ollie Norburn linked well to play in James Norwood but the number 10 scuffed his effort wide under a great deal of pressure from two defenders.

Norburn turned from provider and had an effort of his own on 12 minutes, picking the ball up in midfield, driving forward and firing a low shot which deflected wide before a dangerous Jeff Hughes corner was nodded out of play by a Halifax defender, just wide of his own goal.

The home team's first shot on goal came on 20 minutes when Scott McManus fired a 25 yard free kick straight at Scott Davies as they began to look a little more threatening.

Shortly after Adam Buxton was replaced by Jay Harris, Rovers doubled the lead.

Hughes it was with another dangerous ball into the box from a set piece, the ball swung towards goal and Norwood was on hand to give it the decisive touch into the back of the net.

Shortly after, Halifax had their best chance of the game when good play down the left resulted in Mike Fondop-Talom heading towards goal, Davies made the save before Raheem Hanley followed up but put his shot wide.

Cook almost had a second goal of the game just before half time. Hughes again played a lovely ball from midfield, which the big striker took past Sam Graham, rounded the goalkeeper only for his goalbound effort to be cleared off the line.

After the break, it was Norwood looking for his second as he twisted and turned, confusing his marker before shooting narrowly wide of the post.

Josh Ginnelly replaced Larnell Cole in Tranmere's second substitution as the game had falled into a little bit of a lull in terms of goalmouth activity.

But there was action a couple of minutes later as Ritchie Sutton stumbled to clear away from Fondop-Talom as he burst into the area. Davies came off his line and brought down the striker, penalty awarded by Matthew Donohue the referee.

Goalkeeper Davies was yellow carded, but made up for the error as he expertly denied Matthew Kosylo's spot kick with a strong left palm around the post.

Ginnelly fired a low shot straight at Johnson before Andy Mangan replaced Andy Cook.

The hosts had a few efforts at goal in the remaining minutes, but nothing which threatened Davies' goal as Tranmere held on to claim their sixth win a row and secured second position behind champions Macclesfield, who won the early kick-off to clinch the title.

We congratulate the Silkmen and all efforts are to join them in the EFL next season.

Tranmere Rovers: Davies; Buxton (Harris 24), McNulty, Sutton, Ridehalgh; Jennings, Norburn, Hughes, Cole (Ginnelly 61); Cook (Mangan 74), Norwood. Subs: Monthe, Taylor.

FC Halifax Town: Johnson, Duckworth, Graham, Maher (Oliver 86), McManus, Hotte (Hibbs 38), Collins, Kosylo, Thomson (Hanson 80), Fondop-Talom, Hanley. Subs: Nicholson, Tuton.

Attendance: 3,113 (1185)


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